Djokovic mourns first coach and 'second mother'

By

Updated 2001 GMT (0301 HKT) June 3, 2013

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after getting match point against David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, on Sunday, June 9. Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 6-3

Hide Caption

1 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Nadal poses for photos with the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy.

Hide Caption

2 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Rafael Nadal serves to Spain's David Ferrer during the men's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris on Sunday, June 9.

Hide Caption

3 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer plays a forehand to Nadal on June 9.

Hide Caption

4 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the United States celebrates match point against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their women's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday, June 8. Williams won 6-4, 6-4.

Hide Caption

5 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Williams celebrates with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy following her victory on June 8.

Hide Caption

6 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Williams returns a shot to Sharapova on June 8.

Hide Caption

7 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sharapova returns to Williams on June 8.

Hide Caption

8 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan pose with the trophy after winning the men's doubles final against Michael Llorda and Nicolas Mahut of France on June 8. The twins won 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4).

Hide Caption

9 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Michael Llorda consoles Nicolas Mahut after their defeat in the men's doubles final on June 8.

Hide Caption

10 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Bob, right, and Mike Bryan celebrate the match point.

Hide Caption

11 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Mike Bryan plays a forehand as his brother, Bob, looks on.

Hide Caption

12 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Mahut plays a forehand as his partner Llorda stands ready in the men's doubles final match.

Hide Caption

13 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – David Ferrer of Spain celebrates after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France at the French Open at Roland Garros on Friday, June 7. Ferrer won 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2 . Click through to see more tennis action.

Hide Caption

14 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer returns to Tsonga on June 7.

Hide Caption

15 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Tsonga reaches to hit a return to Ferrer on June 7.

Hide Caption

16 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer in action against Tsonga on June 7.

Hide Caption

17 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Tsonga serves to Ferrer on June 7.

Hide Caption

18 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer plays a forehand to Tsonga on June 7.

Hide Caption

19 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Serbia's Novak Djokovic during a French Open semifinal match in Paris on June 7. Nadal won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7.

Hide Caption

20 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic returns a shot to Nadal on June 7.

Hide Caption

21 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Nadal returns to Djokovic on June 7.

Hide Caption

22 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic plays a forehand against Nadal on June 7.

Hide Caption

23 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Nadal, left, and Djokovic change sides during their June 7 match.

Hide Caption

24 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Umpire Pascal Maria checks a line call with Djokovic on June 7.

Hide Caption

25 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the United States reacts after a point against Italy's Sara Errani during their French Open semifinal match on Thursday, June 6. Williams beat Errani 6-0, 6-1.

Hide Caption

26 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy plays a forehand against Serena Williams on June 6.

Hide Caption

27 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Maria Sharapova of Russia serves to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their semifinal match of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, on June 6.

Hide Caption

28 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sharapova serves to Azarenka on June 6.

Hide Caption

29 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Brothers Mike, left, and Bob Bryan of the United States wait for a return from Alexander Peya of Austria and Bruno Soares of Brazil on June 6.

Hide Caption

30 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – A court attendant covers the center court as rain falls over the Roland Garros stadium on June 6. The rain interrupted the semifinal match between Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka.

Hide Caption

31 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Kirilenko serves to Belarus' Victoria Azarenka during their quarterfinal match at the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Wednesday, June 5. Azarenka beat Kirilenko 7-6(3), 6-2.

Hide Caption

32 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Sharapova exchanges a ball before serving to Serbia's Jelena Jankovic on June 5. Sharapova won 0-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Hide Caption

33 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Tommy Haas of Germany serves during his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia on June 5.

Hide Caption

34 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Azarenka celebrates after defeating Kirilenko.

Hide Caption

35 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain serves against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland on June 5.

Hide Caption

36 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France and Roger Federer of Switzerland face off at Philippe Chatrier court during their quarterfinal match on day 10 of the French Open on Tuesday, June 4, in Paris. Tsonga won 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.

Hide Caption

37 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Tsonga celebrates his victory over Federer on June 4 as he advances to the semifinals.

Hide Caption

38 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Federer plays a backhand to Tsonga during the match on June 4.

Hide Caption

39 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates a point during her win over Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia during the women's singles quarter-final match June 4. Williams defeated Kuznetsova 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

Hide Caption

40 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Kuznetsova, right, reacts after losing a point to Williams during the quarterfinal match June 4.

Hide Caption

41 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Williams serves to Kuznetsova on June 4.

Hide Caption

42 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Kuznetsova returns a forehand to Williams during the match on June 4.

Hide Caption

43 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Tommy Robredo returns to Spain's David Ferrer on June 4. Ferrer defeated Robredo 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.

Hide Caption

44 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ferrer plays a return to Robredo during the quarter final match.

Hide Caption

45 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Oksana Kalashnikova of Georgia serves in her women's doubles match with Alicja Rosolska of Poland against Kristina Mlandenovic of France and Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan on June 4. Mladenovic and Voskoboeva won 6-1, 6-1.

Hide Caption

46 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy hits a return to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during a quarter final match on June 4. Errani defeated Agnieszka 6-4, 7-6 (6).

Hide Caption

47 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Richard Gasquet of France hits a return to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka during a match on Monday, June 3.

Hide Caption

48 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – USA's Sloane Stephens plays a forehand during her match against Russia's Maria Sharapova on June 3.

Hide Caption

49 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Sharapova celebrates her victory over USA's Sloane Stephens at the end of their round of sixteen match on June 3. Sharapova defeated Stephens 6-4, 6-3.

The French Open: Best photos – Sweat runs down the face of Spain's Rafael Nadal during his match against Japan's Kei Nishikori at the French Open on Monday, June 3, in Paris.

Hide Caption

52 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Nadal serves to Nishikori during their match on June 3. Nadal defeated Nishikori 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

Hide Caption

53 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a forehand in her match against Francesca Schiavone of Italy on June 3. Azarenka defeated Schiavone 6-3, 6-0.

Hide Caption

54 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Serbia's Novak Djokovic dives for a backhand during his match against Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber on June 3.

Hide Caption

55 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – During a round of 16 match on June 3, the United States' Bethanie Mattek-Sands hits a return to Russia's Maria Kirilenko.

Hide Caption

56 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sunny skies continue on the ninth day of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3 in Paris.

Hide Caption

57 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic celebrates match point against Kohlschreiber on June 3. Djokovic defeated Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Hide Caption

58 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Kirilenko celebrates after beating Mattek-Sands on June 3. Kirilenko defeated Mattek-Sands 7-5, 6-4.

Hide Caption

59 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – After winning a second set against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, France's Richard Gasquet celebrates at the French Open on June 3.

Hide Caption

60 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – The shadow of a plane-shaped camera appears on the court as Djokovic waits for a serve from Kohlschreiber on June 3.

Hide Caption

61 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Switzerland's Roger Federer serves to Gilles Simon of France during a fourth-round match of the French Open on Sunday, June 2, in Paris. Federer defeated Simon 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Hide Caption

62 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sara Errani of Italy celebrates match point in her match against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain on June 2. Errani won 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

The French Open: Best photos – Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska serves to Serbia's Ana Ivanovic on June 2. Radwanska won 6-2, 6-4.

Hide Caption

65 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Serena Williams of the United States serves to Italy's Roberta Vinci during a 4th-round match of the French Open on Sunday, June 2, in Paris. Williams beat Vinci 6-1, 6-3.

Hide Caption

66 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Vinci hits a return to Williams on June 2.

Hide Caption

67 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – The crowd watches Williams and Vinci play on June 2.

Hide Caption

68 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Spain's David Ferrer returns to South Africa's Kevin Anderson on June 2. Ferrer won 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

The French Open: Best photos – Germany's Angelique Kerber reacts after a point against Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova on June 2. Kuznetsova defeated Kerber 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Hide Caption

71 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Kuznetsova hits a backhand during her match against Kerber on June 2.

Hide Caption

72 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov on the seventh day of the French Open on Saturday, June 1. Djokovic won 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

Hide Caption

73 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Dimitrov plays a forehand to Djokovic.

Hide Caption

74 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – A ball boy holds a ball during a third round match a on June 1.

Hide Caption

75 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Rafael Nadal returns to Italy's Fabio Fognini on June 1. Nadal took the match 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4.

Hide Caption

76 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Nikolay Davydenko reaches to hit a return to France's Richard Gasquet on June 1. Gasquet won 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 .

Hide Caption

77 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ball boys and ball girls take a break during the tournament on June 1.

Hide Caption

78 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Samantha Stosur of Australia serves in a Women's Singles match against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia on June 1. Jankovic defeated Stosur 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Hide Caption

79 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Fabio Fognini of Italy on June 1.

Hide Caption

80 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia plays a forehand during the Women's Doubles match with Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu against U.S.'s Varvara Lepchenko of America and China's Saisai Zheng. Lepchenko and Jurak defeated Rybarikova and Begu 3-6 7-6(9) 6-3 .

Hide Caption

81 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – France's Benoit Paire hands over a broken racket during his third round match against Japan's Kei Nishikori on June 1. Nishikori defeated Paire 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1.

Hide Caption

82 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Nishikori serves to Paire during the third round match on June 1.

Hide Caption

83 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Paire plays a forehand to Nishikori.

Hide Caption

84 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Marina Erakovic of New Zealand celebrates a point in her women's singles match against Sloane Stephens of the United States on June 1. Stephens beat Erakovic 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3.

Hide Caption

85 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Maria Sharapova serves to China's Jie Zheng during the third round match June 1. Sharapova won 6-1, 7-5.

Hide Caption

86 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sloane Stephens of the United States returns a shot to New Zealand's Marina Erakovic on June 1.

Hide Caption

87 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Francesca Schiavone of Italy plays a backhand against Marion Bartoli of France on June 1. Schiavone won 6-2, 6-1.

Hide Caption

88 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Victoria Azarenka of Belarus returns a forehand in her women's singles match against Alize Cornet of France on June 1. Azarenka defeated Cornet 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Hide Caption

89 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – France's Jeremy Chardy stretches to hit the ball against France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during their third-round match at the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Friday, May 31. Tsonga beat Chardy 6-1, 6-2, 7-5.

Hide Caption

90 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Casey Dellacqua, right, and Ashleigh Barty of Australia prepare to receive a serve on May 31. The pair lost to Mona Barthel of Germany and Liga Dermeijere of Latvia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Hide Caption

91 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a backhand against Julien Benneteau of France on May 31. Federer won 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

Hide Caption

92 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Angelique Kerber of Germany returns to Varvara Lepchenko of the United States on May 31. Kerber won 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4.

The French Open: Best photos – Young fans watch Elina Svitolina of Ukraine during her match against Varvara Lepchenko of the United States on May 29.

Hide Caption

124 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Russia's Elena Vesnina keeps track of the ball during her match against Belarus' Victoria Azarenka on May 29. Azarenka beat Vesnina 6-1, 6-4.

Hide Caption

125 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Spain's Feliciano Lopez serves to Portugal's Joao Sousa on May 29. Lopez won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Hide Caption

126 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Croatia's Marin Cilic hits a backhand shot to Australia's Nick Kyrgios on May 29. Cilic won 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

Hide Caption

127 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Belarus' Victoria Azarenka serves to Russia's Elena Vesnina on May 29.

Hide Caption

128 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand against David Goffin of Belgium during day three of the French Open at Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Tuesday, May 28. Djokovic defeated Goffin 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-5.

Hide Caption

129 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Jack Sock of the United States celebrates beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 on May 28.

Hide Caption

130 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova hits a forehand shot to Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko during the first round match on May 28. Cibulkova won 6-1, 6-4.

Hide Caption

131 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Kristina Mladenovic of France celebrates a point in her women's singles match against Lauren Davis of the United States on May 28. Mladenovic won 6-0, 7-5.

The French Open: Best photos – Belgium's David Goffin hits a forehand to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during a first round match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris on Tuesday, May 28.

Hide Caption

134 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – France's Marion Bartoli warms up during her match against Belarus' Olga Govortsova on May 28.

Hide Caption

135 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Djokovic serves to Goffin during their first round match on May 28.

Hide Caption

136 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – France's Alize Cornet returns to Portugal's Maria Joao Koehler during their first round match on May 28.

Hide Caption

137 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Rain causes delays on the third day of the French Open in Paris, on May 28, as a covering tries to keep the Philippe Chatrier central court at Roland Garros stadium dry.

Hide Caption

138 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Employees remove water from a tarpaulin covering the Philippe Chatrier central court on May 28.

Hide Caption

139 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – France's Gael Monfils stretches for a shot against Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych during the first round of the French Open on Monday, May 27, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Monfils defeated Berdych 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5.

Hide Caption

140 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Rafael Nadal of Spain and Daniel Brands of Germany face off in the first round singles match on May 27. Nadal defeated Brands 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-3.

Hide Caption

141 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – After losing the first set to Brands, Nadal went on to win the match and move on to the second round.

Hide Caption

142 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Richard Gasquet of France serves to Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine during day two of the French Open on May 27. Gasquet won the match 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

Hide Caption

143 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky takes a picture with his smartphone on May 27 of a mark on the clay. Stakhovsky believed the shot to be in, but the chair umpire disagreed.

Hide Caption

144 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Sloane Stephens, of the U.S., returns a shot to Italy's Karin Knapp during the women's singles match May 27. Stephens won 6-2, 7-5.

Hide Caption

145 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – France's Julien Benneteau argues with a referee about a line call during his first round match against Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis on May 27. Benneteau defeated Berankis 7-6(5), 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5).

Hide Caption

146 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of Czech Republic covers her face during a break in the match against Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia on May 27. Strycova lost to Jovanovski 6-3, 6-2.

Hide Caption

147 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Angelique Kerber of Germany plays a backhand against Mona Barthel of Germany during day two of the French Open on May 27. Kerber won the match 7-6(6), 6-2.

Hide Caption

148 of 164

The French Open: Best photos164 photos

The French Open: Best photos – Nick Kyrgios of Australia serves to Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic on May 27. Kyrgios advances by winning 7-6(4), 7-6(8), 7-6(11).

Story highlights

Tommy Haas makes history as oldest French Open quarterfinalist since 1971

Rafa Nadal is serenaded on 27th birthday by Parisian crowd as he beats Japan's Kei Nishikori

Last week world No. 1 Novak Djokovic wanted to win this year's French Open to complete his collection of grand slam titles, now he wants the trophy for a more pressing reason -- to honor the death of his "second mother".

Jelena Gencic, who coached Djokovic for five years from when he was just six, died on Saturday.

The potential impact of the 77-year-old's death on her Serbian compatriot was deemed to be so great that Djokovic's management team kept the news from him until after he had beaten Grigor Dimitrov in Saturday's third round.

Djokovic's reaction backed up their assessment as the 26-year-old canceled his post-match news conference, issuing an apology to the media as he did so.

On Monday, he paid tribute to his mentor shortly after seeing off Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 to reach this year's quarterfinals at Roland Garros.

"She's one of the most incredible people I ever knew," he told reporters. "Jelena was my first coach and was like my second mother.

Secrets below Roger Federer's feet

Just Watched

Secrets of a French Open umpire unveiled

"We were very close throughout my whole life and she taught me a lot of things that are part of me, part of my character today. I have the nicest memories of her and these will stay with me forever.

"I think it was the right thing to give me the news after the match (against Dimitrov)," he added. "Regardless of the timing, it was still a shock."

A beaten finalist in Paris last year -- when he lost out to Roland Garros record breaker Rafael Nadal -- Djokovic last saw Gencic in February, shortly before the start of the Dubai Open.

Yet his last conversation with a woman who also helped develop the talents of grand slam champions Goran Ivanisevic and Monica Seles came far more recently.

"I remember the last conversation we had two weeks ago about Roland Garros, and she told me, 'Listen, you have to focus, you have to give your attention to this tournament. This is a tournament you need to win.'

"She was giving me this kind of inspiration and motivation even more. So now I feel in her honor that I need to go all the way.

"But it's not about me only. There are so many great players still around in the tournament. It gives me that inner strength to push even harder."

In a recent interview, Gencic said she spotted Djokovic's potential almost from the moment she first met him in Belgrade.

"When I met him I knew immediately that he was different. I told his father that he was an exceptional talent and that one day he will be a big champion," said a woman who represented the former state of Yugoslavia at both tennis and handball.

After he won Wimbledon for the first -- and to date -- only time in 2011, Djokovic visited Gencic as part of his celebrations.

And the world number one says Gencic, who was recently battling breast cancer, has inspired him to work with young tennis players in the future.

"She was 77 years old, and before she passed away two days ago, last week she was giving lessons to kids," he said.

"I hope to follow on from where she stopped. She gave so much knowledge and I feel I have a responsibility to carry on that work.

"She never married, never had children. She was dedicated to tennis, the kids and coaching."

"I know that her spirit will be always with me and always on the tennis court, because this is what she always loved to do. It's her favorite place in the world and I'll make sure that her legacy continues."

The first diva of women's tennis

Just Watched

Beating the 'French Open curse'

If the Serb is to provide his perfect send-off for Gencic by winning Roland Garros for the first time - and thus become only the eighth man to achieve the career grand slam - he must first beat Tommy Haas, who is also chasing history.

When the number 12 seed beat Russia's Mikhail Youzhny, the German became the oldest man to reach the quarterfinals of a grand slam since Andre Agassi in 2005 and the oldest to do so in Paris since 1971.

Once ranked number two in the world, Haas, 35, missed the entirety of the 2013 season after twice undergoing should surgery -- but is now one of four players over 30 in the quarterfinals along with Roger Federer, David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo.

"I think we all just are smarter about how we train, about how we eat, about how we do recovery," he said.

"The physical and fitness areas have improved a lot in sports in general. I think that's why you see maybe more people also in the early, mid-30s doing well."

At least one man over the age of 30 will reach the semifinals, since Ferrer and Robredo meet in the quarters, while Federer will take on local hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a relative strapling at the age of 28.

Age was also on the minds of those watching Rafael Nadal on Monday, with the Parisian crowd singing 'Happy Birthday' to a man who celebrated his 27th birthday in style.

Bidding to become the first man in tennis history to win eight titles at the same major championship, Nadal won 6-4 6-1 6-3 against 13th seed Kei Nishikori, the first Japanese man in the fourth round since Fumiteru Nakano in 1938.

"It's a very special moment," said Nadal of the crowd's decision to break into song. "Kei is a great player and he is getting better every season. But today I think I played my best match of the tournament."

Nadal will play Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals after the Swiss beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet in a thrilling match, with the ninth seed rallying from two sets down to win 6-7 4-6 6-4 7-5 8-6.